Foot lifter orthesis and method of formation

ABSTRACT

A foot lifter orthesis including a dorsal leg shell, extending over the rear foot, which can be fixed by a strapping means to the calf of the orthesis wearer and which has a forefoot shell section constructed in one piece which extends to a point below the foot sole region, wherein the leg shell exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending with at least one resilient inlay, which extends approximately parallel to and at a short distance from an edge of the leg shell from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section. An associated method of formation is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention concerns a foot lifter orthesis with a dorsal leg shell extending over the rear foot, which can be fixed by a strap or the like to the calf of the orthesis wearer and extends with a forefoot shell section constructed in one piece with it to a point below the foot sole region. A foot orthesis which is of similar construction with regard to the leg shell and designed as an ankle joint orthesis is described in EP 0 567 783 B1.

[0002] A significant problem with this type of foot lifter orthesis is the lack of adaptation of the foot of the orthesis wearer to the footwear worn by the orthesis wearer.

[0003] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with the present invention there is provided a foot lifter orthesis having a dorsal leg shell extending over the rear foot and made of plastic, which can be fixed by a strapping means to the calf of the orthesis wearer and which has a forefoot shell section constructed in one piece which extends to a point below the foot sole region, wherein the leg shell exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending and is made of a soft, flexible plastic and two spring wire inlays, which extend approximately parallel to and at a short distance from the inner or outer edge of the leg shell from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section and are embedded on the rear, lower side of the leg shell.

[0005] It is an aspect of the invention to improve the foot lifter orthesis described herein with respect to its adaptation to the foot of the orthesis wearer and to the footwear worn by the orthesis wearer.

[0006] The foot lifter orthesis according to the invention achieves this object by virtue of its leg shell that exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending. It is made of a soft, flexible plastic, e.g. a low-density polyethylene or an EVA, in which two spring steel wire inlays are embedded on the rear or lower side of the leg shell. The two spring steel wire inlays extend approximately parallel to and at a short distance from the inner or outer edge of the leg shell from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section.

[0007] The shape of the wire inlays determines the essential properties of the orthesis. It is appropriate if the wire inlays end approximately in the lower region of the heel bone.

[0008] To improve the comfort of wearing, it is advantageous if the wire inlays are almost completely surrounded by the plastic.

[0009] To save the shoe edge of footwear worn by the orthesis wearer, it is advantageous if a central rib is provided which is formed integrally in the rear heel region of the leg shell on the rear side thereof and which protrudes beyond the shoe edge thereof when the footwear worn.

[0010] A particularly suitable plastic is a low-density polyethylene LDPE 100 which is soft enough to naturally adapt to the foot of the orthesis wearer as well as the footwear worn by the orthesis wearer, without manual finishing. According to the invention, therefore, there is provided an autoadaptive foot orthesis having wire inlays to ensure a firm orthesis construction in the plantar region. Preferably a pre-bent spring steel wire with a diameter of 1.5 to 2 mm is used, which is fixed to distance holders before deep-drawing the leg shell in order to obtain complete surrounding by the plastic. Manufacture of the leg shell by injection molding is possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] Reference is now made to the drawing, which illustrates the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a rear view of a preferred embodiment of the foot lifter orthesis according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013]FIG. 1 shows, in a rear view, a foot lifter orthesis with a dorsal leg shell 1 extending over the rear foot and made of plastic, which can be fixed by a strap 2, such as a hook and pile type fastening, to the calf of the orthesis wearer.

[0014] The leg shell 1 extends to a point below the foot sole region with a forefoot shell section 3 constructed in one piece with it. The leg shell 1 includes two plastic-encased wire inlays 4 on its rear or lower side which extend, approximately parallel to and at a short distance from the inner edge 1 a or outer edge 1 b of the leg shell 1, from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section 2, near the region of the heel bone.

[0015] Due to the arrangement of these wire inlays 4, which are preferably made of spring steel, it is possible to select a soft, flexible plastic for the leg shell 1, resulting in an autoadaptive foot lifter orthesis which exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending.

[0016] To prevent wear of the footwear, not shown in the drawing, worn by the orthesis wearer, there is provided a central rib 5 which is formed integrally in the rear heel region of the leg shell 1 and on the rear side thereof. When the footwear is put on, the central rib 5 protrudes beyond the shoe edge.

[0017] Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art. While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, this has been by way of illustration and the invention should not be limited except as required by the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A foot lifter orthesis comprising: a dorsal leg shell, extending over the rear foot, which can be fixed by a strapping means to the calf of the orthesis wearer and which has a forefoot shell section constructed in one piece which extends to a point below the foot sole region, wherein the leg shell exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending with at least one resilient inlay, which extends approximately parallel to and at a short distance from an edge of the leg shell from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section.
 2. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said dorsal leg shell includes plastic.
 3. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said leg shell includes soft, flexible plastic.
 4. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one resilient inlay includes at least one spring wire.
 5. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one resilient inlay includes a pair of spring wires.
 6. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said edge of said leg shell is an inner edge.
 7. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said edge of said leg shell is an outer edge.
 8. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 5 , wherein said edge of said leg shell is an inner edge.
 9. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 5 , wherein said edge of said leg shell is an outer edge.
 10. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said leg shell includes a low-density polyethylene.
 11. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein said leg shell includes an EVA.
 12. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one spring wire inlay ends approximately in the lower region of the heel bone.
 13. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 5 , wherein said at least one spring wire inlay is at least partially surrounded by plastic.
 14. The foot lifter orthesis according to claim 1 , wherein a central rib which is formed integrally in the rear heel region of the leg shell and on the rear side thereof, protrudes beyond the shoe edge of footwear put on by an orthesis wearer.
 15. A method of forming a foot lifter orthesis comprising: molding with soft, flexible plastic a dorsal leg shell, extending over the rear foot, which can be fixed by a strapping means to the calf of the orthesis wearer and which has a forefoot shell section constructed in one piece which extends to a point below the foot sole region; and encasing in plastic at least one resilient inlay, which extends approximately parallel to and at a short distance from an edge of the leg shell from the calf region thereof to a point below the forefoot shell section., wherein the leg shell exhibits a low resistance in dorsal foot bending and a high resistance compensating for the foot and shoe mass in plantar foot bending.
 16. The method of forming a foot lifter orthesis according to claim 15 , wherein the step of encasing in plastic at least one resilient inlay includes encasing in plastic at least one spring wire.
 17. The method of forming a foot lifter orthesis according to claim 15 , wherein the step of encasing in plastic at least one resilient inlay includes encasing in plastic a pair of spring wires.
 18. The method of forming a foot lifter orthesis according to claim 15 , further including molding a central rib in the plastic which is formed integrally in the rear heel region of the leg shell and on the rear side thereof, protrudes beyond the shoe edge of footwear put on by an orthesis wearer.
 19. The method of forming a foot lifter orthesis according to claim 15 , wherein the plastic includes low-density polyethylene.
 20. The method of forming a foot lifter orthesis according to claim 15 , wherein the plastic includes EVA. 